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Full Moon for Summer

Tonight’s full moon appears low in the southern sky. It rises in the southeast at sunset and remains to the south, setting tomorrow at sunrise in the southwest. The moon is between the zodiacal constellations Sagittarius and Scorpius, the two southernmost constellations in the zodiac.

We give so much attention to the Summer Solstice sun being so high in our sky on the first day of summer. That happens on Saturday, June 21. Summer starts at 6:51 a.m. But juxtapose the sun with the position of the full moon. In the sky, the sun and moon reside as opposites in the zodiac. The full moon in June is the lowest full moon of the year.

This weekend’s moon is also one of the closest of full moons in the year. Astronomers tell us the moon will be in perigee on Sunday. Tides are running both higher and lower than normal this weekend and in the week ahead.

Jupiter is Slipping Away

There are only a few short weeks left to see the brightest planet in our western sky. Jupiter, the solar system’s largest planet in our evening sky, is slipping away. Every night, the planet appears a little lower in the west.

By the end of June, Jupiter will be even lower in the western sky after sunset. Once gone from our evening sky, Jupiter reappears as a morning planet in late July.

Other Planets

The red planet Mars may have lost much of its glow, compared to last month, but it is still a bright planet high in our southeastern sky after sunset. Mars is in the zodiacal constellation Virgo.

The ringed planet Saturn is low in the southeastern sky after sunset. As night progresses, Saturn appears to follow behind Mars as they move across the sky.

The brightest planet in our sky, Venus, appears low in the southeastern sky just before sunrise. There is no mistaking this brilliant celestial object amid the glow of dawn.